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Saskatchewan unemployment dips to all-time low

Unemployment in Saskatchewan hit a historic low in July, reaching 3.3 per cent.

The new report also shows that year-over-year, construction had the largest number of job gains among the 16 major industries, with 12 per cent growth from a year ago. This is six consecutive months of year-over-year gains. Educational services and agriculture ranked second and third for the largest employment gains.

It is the lowest unemployment rate on record for the province since Statistics Canada started recording employment data in 1976. The last time Saskatchewan's unemployment rate dipped to an all-time low was in April 2014, at 3.4 per cent.

"Our impressively low unemployment rate is the highlight of today's report," said Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart in a release. "Saskatchewan's rate of unemployment is now lower than every other province in the nation, and 49 of 50 American states. Only North Dakota has a lower unemployment rate at 2.7 per cent."

The province recorded a number of other all-time highs for working age population (843,600), full-time employment (488,100) and male employment (315,100). Monthly records included employment at 570,200, labour force totalling 591,600 and female employment at 255,100.

There were also 6,100 more people working in the province compared to a year ago. Saskatchewan's employment growth rate of 1.1 per cent was the second highest among provinces and above the national average of 0.6 per cent.

"What these job numbers say to me is that our economy is on track," Stewart said. "People who can work are finding skilled, good-paying, meaningful employment in communities across our province and that is great news."